Changes on the Winds of Time
by Swordsoul2000
Summary: when you live forever, more things change than stay the same.... past Hohenheim/Dante, Hohenheim/Trisha, slight Roy/Ed
1. Hohenheim

The Rockbell home was just as it had always been, unlike his own which had burned to the ground in his absence

Don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, would be nice but a fool's dream.

The Rockbell home was just as it had always been, unlike his own which had burned to the ground in his absence. Pinako had grown much older, John, Sara, and Trisha were dead, and little Winry had grown up to become a striking young woman. Sitting on the porch, absently chatting with the lovely Lt. Ross, Hohenheim let his mind wander over what had, and had not changed in his 14-year absence. As far as the physical features of Risenbool went, with the exception of his own home, surprisingly little had changed. The small town was still as small, simple, and sleepy as it had always been.

One thing that consistently bugged him was the location and well being of his sons. Neither Edward nor Alphonse were in town, and if the local gossip was as accurate as he remembered it to be, hadn't been for some time. Pinako had been strangely reluctant to discuss either of the boys with him for some reason, and while Winry was fascinated with him, she would undoubtedly be suspicious of questions asked by a near-to total stranger. So he waited, casually flirting, and kept his ears open.

Suddenly he heard a shout behind him. He barely had time to turn around before a lithe figure dressed completely in black with ling blond hair in a tight braid smashed a fist across his jaw with all the delicacy of a sledgehammer, knocking him clear out of his chair so fast he slammed into the porch railing. Despite the pain, he squinted at his assailant, trying to place the nagging sense of familiarity. Blond hair, golden eyes, short, wiry build…. wait. Those around him were calling his attacker "Ed", or "Edward", though one black-haired officer was yelling something about "Fullmetal". He took another moment to re-catalogue. Blond hair and golden eyes, like his current body, Trisha's height and build…. Was this Edward?

But where was his youngest son? Edward and Alphonse had been inseparable when he'd known them. He glanced around, but none of the onlookers matched the physical description of the child who had been about to take his first unassisted steps when he'd left. From what he remembered, Alphonse had blond hair, though a darker blond than his brother's, closer to Trisha's brown hair than Edward's gold. The boy also had Trisha's grey eyes, and no one here had anything close to that shade. Wait. That suit of armor was moving on it's own and he knew that it had formerly been in his workshop, where he'd stored several things from before he'd moved to Risenbool. And he _had_ heard of a renewed interest in Soul Alchemy in the underground gossip streams. Putting that together with the fact that the armor was calling Edward "Brother", the conclusions were obvious to the rankest Alchemy novice. Obviously an accident had happened, and to save his brother, Edward had been forced to figure out Soul Alchemy and bind his brother's soul to the armor. He couldn't see any missing limbs on Edward, but there were many things the Gate could have taken in exchange, and the Rockbells _were_ the best automail engineers for miles around.

He dragged his mind back to the present with an effort, just in time to catch the end of Edward's rant about how he had no right to show his face in Risenbool now after the way he'd walked out on the boys, and how he had no right to be flirting with Lt. Ross after Trisha had died waiting for him to return home. His son was right, but he'd simply had to leave. His latest body had begun to rot, plus Dante's feelers had begun to get too close to his new family for any kind of comfort. He'd left, not only to spare Trisha and the boys the sight of their father literally rotting away, but to try and keep them under Dante's radar. He'd come back as soon as he was positive Dante had called off the hunt so to speak, and her attention was directed elsewhere. He didn't know exactly what had drawn his former partner's obsessions as he wasn't keyed into her spy networks, but knowing her obsession with eternal life, some idiot Alchemist had gotten close enough to the Stone for her and her minions to take personal interest.

Later that night, banished from the Rockbell home by both the combined weight of memories and Edward's tight-lipped disapproval, he kept one ear tuned to the conversation inside. The lovely Ross was commentating on the cologne he constantly wore to disguise the sent of rotting flesh, to the despair of her Sergeant companion. When Edward replied to that observation, it was to give voice to some of the anger and resentment that seemed to have been building up from even before he'd left. Part of him was astonished at how long the boy had been carrying the emotional baggage around. The other part of him was proud of his son for being able to put together some of the puzzle pieces together at the tender age of two.

He abruptly snapped out of his daydreaming when he heard Dante's name mentioned inside the house. Mentally, he reviewed the last few minutes of the conversation, trying to find the context. This Lira person, who both his son's knew, had worked in Dante's home, than had reappeared wherever his sons had just been, some place called Lior, smothered in the same sent Edward associated with himself.

Dante, with a new female apprentice, who was now covering herself in perfume? It appeared that Dante hadn't given up hopping from one body to another like he'd hoped. He may have been avoiding Dante for nearly 200 years now, but he could still predict her habits and obsessions like the back of his current hand. If she'd showed herself to his boys not once but twice, that meant that she was very interested in their activities. He had to find a way to distract her, and quickly.

It hurt, hearing Edward tell him that he had no business hearing about the lives of himself and Alphonse, given that he'd missed the majority or all of them. But what hurt more than the words, was the tone they were delivered in. it wasn't the tone of a 16-year old boy, it was the tone of a man who had seen and done far too much. He recognized the tone, but he'd been in his 40's when he first heard it in himself. No one under 30 should have such exhaustion in their voice, and Edward was only 16! And no boy should be that vulnerable either. He hadn't missed Edward's look of total loss when Alphonse decided that he wanted to hang out with his father.

Speaking of, Edward was being very, very careful never to touch Alphonse directly, as was Colonel Mustang. It was subtle, but once he was paying attention he couldn't help but notice that Edward never let so much as a gloved fingertip touch the armor. From the sly glances Pinako, Winry, and both Lt,'s kept casting at his sons, this was definitely not normal behavior. Only the mousy bookworm and the sulking sergeant seemed oblivious to the slight tension in Edward's frame whenever Alphonse came too close to himself or Mustang.

But why only those two? It was obvious that the colonel was a State Alchemist, his arrayed gloves and silver pocket watch shouted his status to the winds. Neither of his sons bore the state issued symbol, but if he had to guess that both of them followed the art as well. Plus, Mustang had introduced himself as Edward's commanding officer, and the only branch of the military that might conceivably take in children was the Alchemy program. Thus, Edward was an Alchemist, but had joined the ranks of the State Alchemists as well. He vaguely suspected that a normal father would be throwing a fit over the fact that his son was legally a soldier despite not yet having reached his majority, but he knew that after seeing the Gate, and Edward had to have seen the Gate in order to find out what he needed to know about Soul Transmutation, than he could handle anything the Military could dish out. Either the Gate destroyed you, or it made you stronger by showing you the Truth, no two ways about it.

And that strength, he realized, was such that he no longer needed a father. Nor did Alphonse either, for in the younger boy's experiences, the strong one in his life always was his brother. He didn't have a place here anymore, Risenbool may have looked the same as when he left, but it had moved on without him. The only one here that had been waiting for him to return had been Trisha, and according to Pinako, she had been dead for almost 6 years now.

Just because his boys didn't need a father anymore, didn't mean that he couldn't help them out where he could. So he answered Alphonse's questions about the Philosopher's Stone, despite the chill he felt at exactly why those questions were asked in the first place. He informed colonel Mustang everything the idealistic young man needed to know about homunculi, where they came from, how they functioned, and hinted that they were being controlled by another force. He would have talked to Edward, if the boy hadn't been extrodinarily stubborn and avoid him like the plague. And if he didn't guess that his older son didn't already know what he needed. He almost smiled, thinking of the boy that looked so much like himself. He'd obviously inheirited his live of Alchemy, boundless curiosity; strong will, with the addition of an unshakable moral code based on protecting his brother. He would go far in life, if Dante were able to remove him from her sights.

He sighed, looking over at the hill where his home used to be, remembering the few short years he'd had with Trisha and the boys. Turning his back, as he'd done all those years ago, he left, this time without any intention of returning. As he made his way to the train station, he worked on a mental list of all the places Dante would have gone to ground, if she wanted to be sure that no one would find her. By the time the train started moving, he had narrowed it down to one location. Dante had to be in the abandoned city beneath Central, where they'd worked on the Philosopher's Stone.

A little glimpse into the mind of Hohenheim. About his having to leave to avoid Dante's dragnet, we know that the military was looking for him, not why, and with Pride as fuher Dante has unrestricted access to the entirety of Military Intelligence. Plus, she obviously was watching the Elric house because she was able to snatch Sloth. In this case, military watchers Dante.

Also a bit of why Hohenheim left as fast as he did, and why he picked that moment of all moments to reappear.

If you'd believe it, I started it with the question of what if Hohenheim didn't recognize his son's immediately. Must say that I'm surprised and pleased with what came out.

Stay tuned, planning a second chapter on Hohenheim's encounter with Dante, from Dante's POV. Have it all written up, just need to type and edit it.


	2. Dante

'He certainly picked a fine-looking body this time around," Dante thought, covertly ogling Hohenheim's mew form

Standard disclaimer: don't own Fullmetal.

'He certainly picked a fine-looking body this time around," Dante thought, covertly ogling Hohenheim's new form. Tall, solid build, kind face, long golden hair worn in a high tail, it was definitely very different than the last one she'd seen him in. that body had had the most extraordinarily soft, ebony hair. She missed the hair, not the man.

He looked, she thought, almost like his original body, or at least the faint recollections she had of it. It was the eyes she realized. None of the bodies that he'd inhabited had ever had that exact shade of gold in the iris. He'd run the gambit of every other eye color, and rare occasion had sported an amber that came close, but had never quite found that exact shade. Seeing it again brought back memories…

Memories of studying Alchemy together, the games they'd play of trying to unravel theories and arrays before the other. Memories of the Witch Hunts, and the coldly rational decision to work with the hunters as a means of obtaining the required ingredients for the Philosopher's Stone, even when those brought in included fellow Alchemists. Of performing the transmutation, and realizing with horror that the Stone required one last sacrifice, and seeing those golden eyes close for the last time. She remembered collecting his soul with the Stone as a last-ditch effort to save the man she loved. Realizing centuries later that he was gone, and with him the majority of the Stone they had created together. This brought her back to the present day.

She smiled, greeting him with the name of her current body, knowing as she did that it was useless. He'd always been able to see her in what ever body she'd been in, as she was able to see him. It was likely a side-effect of viewing the gate together; they had always been able to recognize each other no matter how many bodies they'd went through.

Though it was great to see him again, she knew Hohenheim didn't do social calls; he was far too direct for that, something she'd also seen in two of his sons. Envy had always preferred the simple approach to problems, though sometimes what he called simple was enough to make other people's heads spin. As for Hohenheim's second son, Edward had bulldozed headlong into enough of her affairs that she was starting to regard the child as a genuine nuisance. And that streak of honor that boy possessed was too annoying for words. She'd had a Stone within her grasp, all the brat had to do was touch the circle she'd had ready and waiting, but he'd backed out at the last second. She'd like to dismiss Edward as a threat, but he had killed Greed, and Greed hated her enough to spill every secret he knew about his brethren if it meant getting back at her, and added with him spiriting away the Stone created in Lior, Edward Elric had become far too dangerous to leave alone. Very much like his father.

Speaking of, what was the first thing out of that man's mouth after falling off the edge of the earth for 200 years? He demanded that she leave Edward and Alphonse alone. As if she answered to him. Who was it that first decided to go after the Stone? Who made the deals that ensured them a steady supply of ingredients? Who was the one who had saved his worthless soul, granting him the privilege of Eternal Life? And he had the sheer audacity to demand things of her?

She kept her temper with an effort. It was simply his old protective streak showing through, however misplaced. It did happen from time to time. She used a few of the tricks that used to send him to his knees, quivering in her arms. Only they didn't work. Maybe he simply wasn't attracted to her current body. Good thing she already had another one picked out, and it had been useful using Gluttony to gauge his current strength. He was as skilled as ever, but then again, so was she.

Their creations fought, ending in stalemate yet again. It was tiresome, this useless posturing of theirs. Why didn't Hohenheim see that while apart they were so perfectly matched that any struggle between them was futile? Why didn't he see that while they canceled each other out on opposite sides, working together their power was doubled? They could accomplish so much more together than they could apart. So why didn't he come back to her? Why did he stubbornly hold onto the ties of mortal life, while she shed them with gleeful abandon? So what if the Elric boys were Hohenheim's sons, she'd lost count of all the children she'd had, not that she'd raised any of those brats. Why until her latest research project, she'd believed infants to be little better than parasites.

She almost missed the small dart Hohenheim tossed at her, only realizing what he had done when a slit in her dress opened, exposing the rot that had already begun. How had he known? She'd only changed her body 2 months ago, when she'd gone for years without the slightest trace.

It took all her self-control not to react as Hohenheim laid out exactly why her body was rotting, why her intervals between new bodies was getting shorter and shorter. She couldn't believe it, no, she would not believe it. He'd cracked, the long years with out her steadying influence driven him mad. She would not be cheated out of eternal life now; she'd come too far and done too much to be denied.

When Hohenheim began talking about Trisha Elric, about how she'd been his only wife, his first and only love, she felt what was left of her heart breaking. How _dare_ he claim to have only ever loved some mortal _child_, while she still remembered the little treasures left on her pillow, the gentle touches, and the soft whispers of love in her ear, of the uncounted years together, and the countless little ways he'd showed his love, and he had the colossal nerve to _deny_ all that? Hurt and shock warred with anger, and anger won. What was it that her bitch of a mother used to say in one of her moods? "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." That sounded about right.

First she twisted the knife in the wound, challenging him about his former love of her. Not appeased by the guilt and shame in his eyes, she taunted him with the knowledge that she couldn't leave his precious children alone, that his youngest boy was the new Stone that was as good as within her grasp already. Then she signaled Sloth with a covert glance toward the stairwell where the water-based sin was waiting with the child of her next body. The look of shock, horror, surprise, love, and tenderness that covered his face validated all her extra surveillance of the Elric household even after she'd determined that he wasn't returning. After all, it was that surveillance that had enabled her to snatch Sloth right under the noses of the boys after she'd been created. Her former lover, former lover, was too dazed by the appearance of a homunculus with his wife's face to notice Sloth speeding across the ruined floor in liquid form. "Why, why didn't they tell me," her ears caught the soft murmur Hohenheim whispered to himself. She gave it no mind. By the time he recovered himself, Sloth had encased him inside her body from his shoulders down.

As she walked forward, child in her arms, she thought she should be feeling triumphant. She had legendary Alchemist Hohenheim of Light at her mercy; she had a plan to make him pay for abandoning her, stealing the Stone she'd worked so hard on, and replacing her with a mortal. But she couldn't. In the end, he was still her Hohenheim, her lab partner at school, her first love, the man with whom she'd spent the most time of all the men in her long life. He was the one who held her through painful rebounds, who'd challenged her, the one who she had not been able to face losing.

No more second thoughts. Through the child she summoned the Gate, leaving everything that was Hohenheim of Light to be taken through the massive doors. As soon as she was sure she had accomplished her goal, she left, not wanting to hear if his final words were for herself of his Trisha. Opening her eyes, hearing and not hearing Wrath's hysterical wailing due to proximity of the Gate, she saw that her calculations were correct yet again. There was no trace of her past love remained. Wait, not quite yet. There was still a trace of him. Her pendant, the blue stone still as bright as it had been 300 years ago, the only one of his gifts that had survived the test of time.

Ordering Lust, Sloth, and Wrath to retrieve the Stone, and dealing with Lust's new-found insolence, didn't take long. Returning the baby to its brainwashed mother took even less. For now she was free to get her grieving for Hohenheim over with. She just needed a moment to cry.

Owari

Ok, Dante's turn! We know she was looking for Hohenheim because he had the majority of the Stone they'd created, they'd obviously spent several hundred years together before that, and did anyone wonder what happened to Dante's pendant? She's wearing it when she does away with Hohenheim, yet when she confronts Ed it's gone. My take in it is that it was on of Hohenheim's love tokens, and she couldn't stand to have it around anymore.

Generally, my take on Dante? Spoiled bitch of an addict, who is far too used to getting her own way, and was allowed free rein for far too long.

Why so little feedback? Why? No reviews, barely any hits, why my loyal readers, why??

Review quickly, and I'll think about forgiving you. Those who review will receive mental cookies and a few creative Red Stones. (I could do with a few of those myself)


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